Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-12-09

any satisfaction therefrom lie is heartily
welcome to it, although we apprehend
that all the comfort he gets from the
FREE Press on this issue is somewhat
Arctic in its temperature.
We urged the friends of annexation
to sign the petitions, not because we
sympathyse with the object sought to
be attained, but because we believe in
the free and unhindered expression of
individual opinion, and because we
desired to set an example of federation
which the annexation clique in Lewis
ton would do we'll to initiate, instead of
prescribing people who entertain and
express opinions different from theirs.
1t is by discussion alone that We can
arrive at the truth or falsity of any
given proposition, and discussion is the
very thing which the Lewiston clique
have endeavored to avoid in themselves,
and by harsh and intolerant measures,
to suppress in others. They have never
realised the fact that men may honestly
differ about annexation as they differ
about politics, free trade, and other
public questions. And yet the annex
alton doctrinaires prescribe and ostra-
else anybody who expresses skeptical
doubt whether annexation will do all
the wonderful things that its advocates
claim for it. The average annexation
argument is made up of falsehood about
the "tyrannies" which it is alleged are
inflicted upon us by "our task masters
OF the SOUTH" and glittering generalities
concerning the wonderful things that
are going to happen to us when we are
annexed. 1t is also claimed that our
interests are identified with Washing
ton territory. They are not identical.
The Interests OF all the country south of
the Clearwater, and also of the four
counties in w. T., south of Snake river,
are all with Oregon. We do not buy a
dollars worth of goods of, nor do We
sell pound of produce to any body in
Washington territory. Our trade is
with Oregon. Oregon men buy our
produce and sell us our supplies. We
have no interest in common with Spo-
Okinagan, Yakima or Puget sound.
So that if the commercial and geo
graphical boundary argument is to be
pushed to its logical conclusion, Wash
ington will lose her four counties south
OF Snake river, which, with Idaho coun-
ty and the southern half of Nez Perez
will go to Oregon. while Washington
gets the panhandle strip.
The talk about the 'impassable bar
rier" between north and south Idaho
is another popular falsehood with the
Lewiston clique. since the obstacle to
travel is not a range of mountains at all,
but the canyon of Salmon river, and
the war department would have built
military wagon road between Fort
Boise and Fort Lapwai ten years ago
but for the objections raised by the
Lewiston marplots. A practicable rail-
road route has been surveyed over the
alleged impossible mountain barriers
between north and south Idaho" The
Snake river canyon is also an excellent
railroad route which will shortly be
built over, thus affording easy and di-
rect connection between the sections.
But when fad like annexation takes
hold of a factious minority, it is idle to
expect common sense argument from
its advocates. Any absurd proposition
will find men and newspapers to sup
port it, with a diarrhea of words as
substitute for argument. There is
never lack of selfish demagogs who
will do their utmost to convince the
people that they are misgoverned, or
too much governed. or not governed
enough, and there are always ignorant
and unthinking men ready and willing
to be led astray by the vicious over
statements of catch-penny politicians
1t has been the curse of Lewiston and
northern Idaho that these misfit States
men have been permitted to thrust
themselves to the front. They are
factious minority who have persuaded
themselves, and endeavor TO persuade
others that they are the voice of all the
people. The fly on the axle of the
chariot in 4Esop's fables was no more
absurd and vain-glorious than the action
of the immortal fifteen who met in
Lewiston lately and with unparalleled
impudence and effrontery demanded
annexation on behalf of all the people.
There was formerly much genuine
enthusiasm and intelligence in the
annexation movement, but it was a
long time ago, and We have been ma
king history so fast since then that the